Apparatus for determining weight relationship



Fb. 11, 1911; w. SWERDLOFF 2,231,781

APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP Filed Dec. 20, 1957 CONNECTION TO VENT VAPOR OF VARIABLE LIQUID VAPOR OF VARIABLE LIQUID STANDARD LIQUID VARIABLE LIQUID SU PPLY CONNECTION T0 STANDARD LIQUID INVENTOR. WILL SWERDLOFF DRAIN 31 Z 5 ATTO NEYS.

Patented Feb. 11, 1941 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR- DETERMINING WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP Will Swerdloff, Bartlesville, kla., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Application December 20, 1937, Serial No. 130,911

Claims.

The present invention involves improvements in apparatus for the determination of the weight relationship of a volatile liquid to a standard liquid.

At the present, weight relationships of liquids are usually determined by the use of hydrometers. To determine the gravity of gasoline, the method now used is to draw a sample of gasoline into a glass bomb that contains a hydrometenthe gravity of the gasoline then being read on the floating hydrometer. This method was satisfactory as long as the gasoline was of low vapor pressure. However, with the present trend of manuiacturing as high gravity gasolines as possible, the vapor pressure of the gasoline is much higher than formerly. Because of this high vapor pressure much difiiculty is being encountered in securin an accurate gravity measurement of the gasoline by use of the enclosed hydrometer apparatus. The reasonior the difiiculty is that the bomb must first bechilled to minimize vaporization of the gasoline. Then when enough liquid is finally placed in the tube it is usually too cold for the temperature scale on the hydrometer. On warming the liquid the pressure developed because of the evolution of more vapor is often sumcient to crush the hydrometer. Such an occurrence naturally stops the determination. Then too, even though nothing occurs to hamper the operation, the liquid is no longer the same as the liquid that was in equilibrium in the container or tank in which it was originally made, for the liquid in the bomb will release vapor. This changes the composition of the liquid and an erroneous gravity determination is made.

By the use of the proposed device herein described, the above complications are avoided in that no hydrometer is necessary for the specific gravity determination, the liquid whose gravity is being determined is unchanged in the apparatus and it is always in equilibrium with the vapor in the tank or container in which itwas originally contained. This makes certain that the gravity is being taken of an accurate sample and that the pressure on the device will never exceed the pressure on the tank in whichit was originally held.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for determining the specific gravity of a volatile liquid' safely, ac-

curately, and conveniently.

A further important object of the present invention is to determine the specific gravity of a volatile liquid under its normal conditions.

The drawing shows a view in elevation of an apparatus embodying the present invention and a diagrammatic view of a system for carrying out the method.

Reference numeral l indicates a support to 5 which is attached by means of brackets 2, a vessel indicated generally at 3 in the form of a closed loop of tubing comprising two vertical transparent sections 4 and 5 and two end connecting members 6, 1. It will be apparent that 10 vessel 3 is made up of a U tube or manometer 4, 5, 6 closed by member 1 and can be constructed in any convenient manner to form equivalent structure.

Pipes 8 and 9 are connected into members 6 15 and 'l and pipe H is connected into section 5 but may be connected at any desirable position to accomplish the purposes hereinafter described. Connected in pipe 8 is a valve [0 and a pipe ll having a valve l2. Connected in pipe 9 is valve 20 i3 and a pipe l4 having a valve l5. Pipes ll and H are shown connected into pipes 8 and 9, respectively, as a matter of convenience in construction but obviously may be connected directly to vessel 3 if desired. In the embodiment 25 shown in the drawing pipe 8 is used to vent vessel 3, pipe 9 to drain it. The purpose of pipe M is to admit standard liquid to vessel 3.

Shown diagrammatically is a receptacle it for holding the gasoline or other variable liquid to 30 be tested with a space above the liquid which contains, usually at superatmospheric pressure, vapor in equilibrium with the variable liquid. A pipe H having a valve l2 connects section 5 of vessel 3 with receptacle l6 below the liquid line 35 of the variable liquid. Pipe H is connected to receptacle 16 in the vapor space.

In operation with vent pipe valve In closed, valves l2 and I5 closed, and drain valve l3 open, valve I2 is cracked to allow the vapors from re- 40 ceptacle Hi to pass through vessel 3 to displace the air therein. Valves I3 and I2 are then closed and vent valve l0 opened. Water, or some other standard liquid immiscible with the liquid whose ravity is being. determined, is allowed to flow 45 into the device through pipe ll to some convenient level. Since the same pressure is present in both sides of vessel 3, the liquid in both of the transparent sections 4 and 5 will be at the same level. Then the vent pipe valve III is closed 50 and valve l2 to the vapor space of receptacle I6 is opened. Since the pressure on both sections remains th same, the levels of the standard liquid remain unchanged- Now the valve II to the gasoline or variable liquid supply is opened and a convenient amount is allowed to flow heads, the specific gravity or any other weight' relationship, may be computed. when appreciable the weight of the vapor must be considered, the head of vapor in one section of vessel 3 being greater than in the other.

In actual practice; a measuring scale I! is used with the apparatus and readings are obtained by the operator at the points A, B, and C, as shown on the drawing.

The following describes the method of calculation used. Referring to the attached drawing- Let A equal scale reading where column of gasoline, or liquid whose gravity is being determined, joins the water, or standard liquid level.

B equal scale reading of water, or standard liquid, level.

C equal scale reading of gasoline,'or liquid AIS whose gravity is being determined, level.

Let X equal the unknown specific gravity of the gasoline, or variable liquid.

M equal the specific gravity of the water or standard liquid,

N equal the specific gravity of the vapor (all specific gravities referred to water at 60 F.)

Then B-A, the head of water, or standard liquid, is

balanced by C-A, the head of gasoline or variable liquid and C--B, the head of vapor.

(CA) (X) equals (BA) (M) +(C-B) (N) X equals 141.5 A Sp. Gr. 60 760 F. 131 5 From this, A. P. I. of the gasoline at the temperature of the gasoline in the apparatus equals This may be corrected to A. P. I. at 60 F. by the use of the customary correction factors.

The values of. the vapor specific gravities can be experimentally determined for several tank pressures and temperatures and extended by 'means of the gas laws.

ma ter I claim:

1. A device for determining the specific gravity of a volatile liquid comprising a supporting memher, a. loop of tubing having transparent legs, a conduit connected to the upper portion of said loop, a conduit connected to .the lower portion of said loop, and a conduit connected to one of said legs.

2. A device for determining the weight relationship of a volatileliquid to a standard liquid, the volatile liquid being confined in a receptacle having a vapor space above .the volatile liquid, comprising a closed vessel in the form of a loop having two transparent legs each at an angle to the horizontal, a conduit connected .to the upper part of the vessel for communication with the vapor space in the receptacle, a conduit connected to one leg of the vessel for communication with the receptacle below the surface of the volatile liquid, and conduits in communication with the vessel for admitting standard liquid and draining the same. I

3. A system for determining the weight relationship of 'a volatile liquid to a standard liquid comprising a receptacle containing the volatile liquid and having a vapor space therein above the;

volatile liquid, 9. closed vessel in the form of a loop having two legs, means connected with said vessel for admitting the standard liquid thereto,

means for venting the vessel to admit the standard liquid, means connecting the vessel with the receptacle to admit volatile liquid .to one of said legs and means connecting the upper portion of the vessel and the vaporspace of the receptacle.

4. A system for determining the weight relationship of a volatile liquid to a standard liquid comprising a receptacle containing the volatile liquid and having a vapor space therein above the volatile liquid, a sealed vessel shaped so that a column or the volatile liquid can be balanced against a column of the standard liquid therein, a conduit connecting the interior of the vessel with the vapor space of the receptacle, means for introducing standard liquid to the vessel. means for introducing the columnof volatile liquid into the vessel to balance acolumn of the standard liquid therein, and means for, determining the quantity of liquid in each column.

5. A system for determining the weight relationship of a volatile liquid to an immiscible 1 standard liquid comprlsing-a receptacle containing the volatile liquid'and having a vapor space therein ,above the volatile liquid, a U-shaped vessel, the legs of the U-shaped vessel extending in an upward direction, a body 0! standard liquid .in'the U-shaped vessel, means for placing the upper portion or the legs 01 the U-shaped vessel in communication with the vapor space of the receptacle, means for introducinga body of the volatile liquid into one leg of the U-shaped vessel whereby a head of the standard liquid in the other leg is balanced by the body of volatile liquid, and means for measuring .the quantity of. the head of standard liquid and the quantity of the body of volatile liquid.

WILL swnannor'r'. 1 

